As winter continues into December 2025, several ordinary people are starting modest rigs in their homes while the large bitcoin mining farms in the sticks are struggling. Getting wealthy quickly is no longer the goal. For many of these enthusiasts, it has taken on a more intimate significance as a means of maintaining their involvement with BTC, potentially reducing their heating expenses, or simply experimenting with hardware because of their passion for technology. These small rigs are appearing everywhere, maintaining the original decentralized spirit, even though the industrial guys still dominate the hashrate charts.
Everything became difficult for everyone after the 2024 halving reduced incentives to 3.125 BTC each block. The hashrate continues to rise, and the average daily revenues per petahash are currently between $35 and $40. Large operations are in a state of panic, with some even relocating racks to AI jobs to make ends meet. But home miners? They have distinct perspectives. In any case, many of them never anticipated large profits. They operate the devices for enjoyment, to increase their small portion of the network, or because those recent single block victories with nearly low hashrate make you wonder, “Hey, why not me?”
This is now feasible again since hardware has finally caught up. These tiny devices, such as the Bitaxe Gamma or the Avalon Nano 3, may provide respectable hash rates, ranging from a few terahash to perhaps 100, while consuming very little power. We’re talking about 15 to 300 watts, which is roughly the power of a coffee machine or a lamp. Efficiency is in the ideal range of 15–20 J/TH, and the costs are affordable. While some people hook into pools and watch the sats stream in slowly but steadily, others point them alone and dream big.
People are becoming more aware of the heat these objects cause, especially in regions where the cold weather is severe. Why waste power when almost every watt you feed a rig produces warmth? Those in colder climates, such as Europe, install the miners in the garage or basement and pump the hot air directly into the house. Even purpose-built heater-miners, which resemble standard space heaters but discreetly generate BTC on the side, are reasonably priced. I’ve heard tales of tiny businesses warming tanks and pools or car washes using the heat for their bays. In the winter, a man in Idaho essentially heats his entire property for free and keeps the proceeds from the rigs.
Solar systems are also gaining popularity, particularly in areas with intense sunlight. If your panels generate more electricity than you use, why not run miners instead of selling it back at a discount? You can transfer some of that to lower night rates by adding a battery. Pictures of solar panels powering efficient ASICs and heat entering a greenhouse or workshop are common in forums. It simply makes sense.
Noise used to drive everyone nuts, but the new stuff is way quieter. The boxes are compact enough to stow away without taking up much space, and water cooling or immersion prevents the fans from making excessive noise. Firmware can be adjusted to operate more slowly when costs are high or more quickly when they are low. Nothing is wasted because pools now pay out even small amounts.
It’s not all easy money, you see. If you don’t have the solar angle or heat reuse covered, you will lose money if your energy bill is large. The difficulty never stops increasing, and the price of BTC fluctuates as usual. There are regulations in some regions that make things difficult. However, it starts to look quite attractive when you get your power under ten cents per kilowatt-hour and treat the coins as long holds.
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Reddit threads, Discord channels, and other online communities are all very active these days. People debate the best small models, post their builds, and exchange firmware or cooling advice. Some are willing to take a chance and go all-out with the lowest-power items. Some advocate for the environment, coupling everything with renewable energy sources and referring to it as the most environmentally beneficial method of mining.
These enthusiasts are the ones clinging to the early days of BTC mining, while the pros seek more stable jobs with AI workloads. It’s really personal, hands-on, and somewhat experimental. Though they don’t have much of an impact on the hashrate needle, machines humming away in spare rooms and sheds all over the world are important. Everyone is reminded that the network was designed for regular people.
I wouldn’t bet against more innovative goods emerging in 2026, including better heating combinations, plug-and-play solar kits, and even pools designed specifically for smaller men. Many of these home setups will appear much more profitable if BTC prices rise or fees increase. For the time being, they’re keeping things warm, building a few sats, and demonstrating that small-scale mining still has a lot of potential.
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Watch: The Truth About Mining Profitability
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Source: https://coingeek.com/the-rise-of-home-and-small-scale-btc-mining/
